File image of Morne Morkel© Twitter
Morne Morkel appointed Indian cricket team’s bowling coach: BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirms to news agency PTI. Former South Africa pacer Morne Morkel was earlier the bowling coach of the Pakistan cricket team during 2023 ODI World Cup in India. He has been associated with IPL teams – Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Daredevils. “Yes, Morne Morkel has been appointed bowling coach of the senior India men’s team,” Shah told PTI.
India’s first Test match against Bangladesh on September 19 is going to be Morkel’s first assignment with the Indian team.
The 39-year-old Morkel was new chief coach Gautam Gambhir’s primary choice, having worked with him at Lucknow Super Giants. The 39 year-old has played 86 Tests, 117 ODIs and 44 T20Is for South Africa with a total of 544 international wickets.
Gambhir and Morkel shared a good working relationship during their time at the LSG as coaches. After Gambhir left KKR, Morkel stayed on with LSG as bowling coach. Gambhir Earlier in 2014 mega-auction, Gambhir, then KKR captain, had insisted on getting the services of Morkel as a player. Gambhir had also said before that Morkel was the bowler he feared the most.
Meanwhile, former India pacer Joginder Sharma feels Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as head coach of the team might not be a long one, mainly because of his outspoken nature. Gambhir took over as head coach of the Indian team after Rahul Dravid tenure came to an end after the T20 World Cup in June. Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, India defeated Sri Lanka 3-0 in Gambhir’s debut T20I series as head coach.
While Gambhir has been all smiles in the early days of tenure, Joginder, a T20 World Cup-winner with him in 2007, feels that the former India opener won’t be able stay as head coach for a long time.
“Gautam Gambhir team ko sambhalne waala hai lekin par mera ye manna hai ki Gautam Gambhir jyada lambe samay tak tik nahi payega (Gautam Gambhir is the one to manage the team, but I believe that Gautam Gambhir will not be able to stay for a long time),” Joginder said on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast.
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